Marcus Thesing: Thesing was the very first artist Akers met from the Laguna Arts Festival and he made an immediate impression. “I actually bought some of his work and asked if I could photograph him with it,” says Akers. Thesing was eager to work with Akers, who wanted his photos to convey Thesing's specialty, which is shaping holes into his vases. “On this one he didn't want to look through the hole, he wanted to show his whole face, but I convinced him to look through the hole and we both liked the result,” says Akers.